The opposition has intensified its meetings to pick a presidential candidate from the nominees who enjoy Bkirki’s approval: Joseph Aoun, Jihaz Azour, Ziad Baroud, Neemat Frem and Salah Honein, informed political sources said.

“Azour and Frem are in the lead over the other candidates,” the sources told the PSP’s al-Anbaa news portal in remarks published Tuesday.

An Arab league summit in Saudi Arabia will discuss Friday the Lebanese crisis, media reports said.

"The Lebanese file will be one of the main items on the summit's agenda," a diplomatic source told al-Joumhouria, in remarks published Tuesday.

Lebanese international lawyer Chibli Mallat is the best presidential candidate to Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat, who says he refuses to endorse a "confrontational" candidate.

"To some Lebanese leaders, the principle of settlement does not exist," Jubmlat said in a televised interview, as he criticized Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea and Free Patriotic leader Jebran Bassil for "vetoing" certain presidential candidates.

Qatar has proposed to clear the record of U.S. sanctioned Free Patriotic Movement leader Jebran Bassil if the latter in return agrees to soften his stance on the presidential nomination of Army chief Gen. Joseph Aoun, Nidaa al-Watan newspaper said.

The daily said Monday that Bassil accepted the offer, adding that the Qatari security delegation that visited Lebanon last week, will return to the country after the Arab League meeting in Jeddah.

The foreign threats to impose sanctions on the Lebanese officials who obstruct the presidential vote are what pushed Speaker Nabih Berri to say that “the presidential election should be finalized before June 15 at the latest,” a media report said on Monday.

“There are serious indications about foreign sanctions that are being mulled to be imposed on the obstructors of the presidential vote,” the Nidaa al-Watan newspaper said.

Hezbollah is confident of its ability to secure Suleiman Franjieh’s election any voting session that might be held, a media report said.

“It is pressing to neutralize the Aounist Movement’s bloc by offering it guarantees that it will be influential in the coming period,” Annahar newspaper reported.

After reports and rival parties said the French, Saudi and U.S. stances are no longer in favor of Suleiman Franjieh’s nomination, Ain el-Tineh sources have stressed that “the international stances have not changed regarding the Lebanese presidential settlement.”

“The French have not retreated, the Saudis have not backpedaled and the Americans have not reconsidered their vision,” the sources told al-Jadeed TV.

Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh has decided not to attend the May 16 interrogation session in Paris and is instead planning to retire in Sharjah, UAE, media reports have said.

Salameh fears that he might be detained or banned from traveling if he goes to France, the reports said. Instead, the governor and his legal team will argue that he has not been officially notified of the French interrogation request.

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea has decided not to reveal the developments of the talks with the Free Patriotic Movement over a presidential candidate.

"Every party has the right to keep its cards hidden," Geagea told MTV, urging Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri to call for an election session this week. "We are totally ready for it," he said.

Political circles are betting on the outcome of the meeting that will be held Tuesday between Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil and Hezbollah liaison and coordination official Wafiq Safa, media reports said.

Sources close to the FPM told al-Joumhouria newspaper in remarks published Monday that the meeting will be held at Hezbollah’s request.